Indicating device for remotecontrol systems



Nov. 18, 1947. M. N. YARDENY ET'AL v?,430,902

INDICATING DEVICE FOR REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 5, 1945 MCHEL M Y4 ROE/V) B 08587 BER/VA 5 (HA 21.55 .PR/NDLE' ATTO RN EY Patented Nov. 18, 1947 INDICATING DEVICE FOR REMOTE- CONTROL SYSTEMS Michel N. Yardeny and Robert Bernas, New York, and Charles Prindle, Long Island City, N. Y., assignors to Consolidated Development and Improvements Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 5, 1945, Serial No. 620,564

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to remote control apparatus and, more particularly, to an indicating device used in such systems.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of means to restore the coordination between the indicator at the control point and the load at the remote point, which may be disturbed by reason of manual or local positioning of the load at the remote point Without calling into operation the remote control system, the current supply being disconnected during such manual, local load positioning.

For attainment of the foregoing and such objects as may appear or be pointed out herein, there is shown an embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawing wherein the single figure is a diagrammatic illustration of a remote control system and an indicating device incorporating the coordinating means according to the invention.

The invention is shown applied to a remote control system which has as its major parts, a primary control device designated generally P. C., at the control point; and a load motor designated generally as M at the remote point, which drives a load shown at 5. The indicating device associated with the control system comprises a transmitter, designated T, at the remote point, and driven by the load motor, and a receiver, designated generally R, at the control point, which is provided with indicating means for indicating the position of the load at the remote point.

, The primary device comprises a pair of relatively movable members, one of which is an insulated disc I2, rotatably mounted at I3 and on which is mounted a pair of conducting elements in the form of segments I0, II, the upper adjacent ends of which are separated by a gap I 4; the other member is a contact arm I 5 pivotally mounted at I3 and provided with a distal contact I8 slidably engageable with the conducting segments II], II. The arm is provided with a manipulative knob I3 by which it may be angularly adjusted.

Conducting segments I0, II are connected to collector rings, respectively, I6, I'I, engageable by their respective stationary brushes 20, 2I The proximal end of contact arm I5 is connected to one terminal of the source of current supply by a circuit which may be traced from the contact arm I5, through a lead I33, to contact I32 of a relay I25, which relay is normally in deenergized condition, so that the circuit normally continues Which is normally maintained, as by a spring (not shown), in engagement with said contact I32. The circuit continues through a lead I23 to a supply wire 29 leading, through a switch 3|, to one terminal 32 of the source of current supply 34.

The aforesaid stationary brush 2B is at the terminal end of a lead 22 connecting through one blade 56 of a limit switch which normally engages a companion switch blade 24 to complete the circuit through a lead 22 to the outer terminal of a relay coil 26. The other stationary brush 2| is connected by a similar circuit to the outer terminal of a second relay coil 21, which circuit may be traced from stationary brush 2|, through lead 23, to one blade 25 of a second limit switch which normally engages a companion blade 51, the latter being connected by a lead 23' to the outer terminal of relay coil 27. The inner terminals of relay coils 26, 21 are connected by short leads as shown, and by a lead 28 to a supply wire leadin through a switch 46 to the other terminal 41 of the said source of current supply 34.

Associated with the relay coils 25, 2'! is a pair of armatures 36, 31, the proximal ends of which are connected together by a short lead 35; armatures 36, 31 are normally maintained, as by springs (not shown), in engagement with contacts, respectively, 42, 43, the contact 42 being connected by lead 30 to the aforesaid supply wire 29, and the other contact 43 being connected by lead 33 to the same supply wire 29. Upon energization of relay coils 26, 21, their respective armatures 36, 31 are attracted to engage contacts, respectively, 38, 39; the contact 38 is connected by a lead 40 to the outer terminal of a field winding 46 of a pilot motor 48, and the other contact 39 is connected by a lead 46 to the outer terminal of the other reversing field winding 41. The inner terminals of reversing field winding 46, 41 are connected by a lead as shown in the armature circuit 49 of a pilot motor 48, from whence the circuit continues through a lead 50, to the aforesaid supply wire 45. Branching from the outer terminal of field winding 41 is a lead 4] connecting to the outer terminal of reversing field winding 1 of the aforesaid load motor M. The outer terminal of the other reversing field winding 46 of the pilot motor 48 is connected by a lead 40 to a relay contact I36 oi the aforementioned relay I25, which is normally engaged, as by spring means (not shown), by its armature I34, to continue the circuit through unattracted armature I30 of the relay through a lead 40, to the outer terminal of the other reversing field winding 6 of load motor M. The inner terminals of reversing field windings 6, 1 thereof are connected by a lead 2 to the armature 2 of the load motor M and. by a lead 45 to the aforementioned supply wire 45.

Pilot motor 48 is operatively connected by a shaft 5! and a gear 52 secured thereto and meshing with a gear 53 secured to rotate with the aforesaid insulated disc l2 of the primary control device P. C. In the normal rest condition of the primary control device P. C., contact l8 of the selectively adjusted arm l5 bridges gap i 4 to engage both conducting segments W, H, thus completing the circuit which has already been traced from supply terminal 32, through both conducting segments l0, H and switches 24, 56 and 25, 51 to the pair of relays 26, 21 to maintain both relays in energized condition. Energization of both relays 26, 21 by attracting their respective armatures 36, 31 into engagement with relay contacts 38, 39 completes a short circuit through both reversing field windings 46, 4'! of the pilot motor 48 and also through both fieldwindings 6, l of load motor M. Hence, with contact arm 15 in the normal bridging position, as shown in the figure, both the load motor M and pilot motor 48 will be stationary. Contact arm I5 is manually adjusted in one direction or the other, depending upon the direction in which it is desired to move the load; we will assume, for ex ample, that contact arm I5 is adjusted clockwise to break engagement with the conducting segment I and to engage only with the conducting segment II. This will break the circuit to one of the pair of relays 26, 21, more particularly to relay 26, leaving the other relay 2'! i energized condition. As a result of deenergization of relay coil 26 while the other coil 21 remains energized, a circuit is completed through one of the field windings 46, 41 of the pilot motor 48 and also through one of the field windings 6, I of the load motor M. In the example assumed, field winding 46 of the pilot motor 48 and field winding 6 of load motor M is energized, the circuit through the former being traced from supply wire 29,

through lead 30, to relay contact 42, unattracted armature 36 of the deenergized relay 26, common lead 35, attracted armature 31 of energized relay coil 21, relay contact 39, through the field winding 41, from whence the circuit continues through armature 49 and lead 50, to the other supply wire 45. The circuit through the field winding 7 of load motor M, is similar to that already traced through pilot motor 48, a lead 4| branching from the outer terminal of pilot motor winding 4! to continue a parallel circuit through the field winding of load motor M.

Rotation of load motor M is effective through a shaft 8, and a gear secured thereon meshing with a gear 4 secured to rotate with member of the load, to move the load in the desired direction. Rotation of the pilot motor 49 imparts, through the operative connection already described, rotation to the insulated disc [2 of the primary control P. C. in a direction to cause gap l4 to overtak and align with contact arm [5 and thus to cause its contact [8 to again bridge gap l4 to stop motor rotation in the manner already described.

The aforementioned transmitter T of the indicating device comprises a disc 65 made of suitable conducting material, mounted for rotation at 14 and provided along its periphery with inserts 66 of insulated material. Hence, there is presented along the peripheral edge of disc 65,

alternate conducting areas 61 and insulated areas 66. The disc itself, being made of conducting material, is connected at 14, by a suitable collector ring arrangement (not shown) to a lead 68 and the supply wire 45. Spaced about the peripheral edge of the disc 65 are a plurality of brushes, four being shown for facility in illustration and designated 15, 16, 11, 18. The plurality of brushes are connected by wires 80, 8|, 82, 83 to one terminal of a corresponding number of magnetic coils at the receiving component R of the indicating device, the latter being disposed at positions corresponding to that of the associated brushes at the transmitting component T and are designated, respectively 85, 86, 81, 88. The other terminals of the said plurality of magnetic coils are connected to a common wire I00 which is connected by a lead IN and lead I26 to the supply wir 29. To better concentrate the magnetic flux, suitable metallic cores designated 90, 9|, 92, 93 may be centered within the convolutions of the magnetic coils.

Cooperative with the plurality of magnetic coils is a serrated disc 96 mounted for rotation on a spindle 91 and provided along its periphery with alternate teeth 95 and interdental spaces I 02. The operation of the serrated disc 86 of the receiving component B. and the commutator disc 65 of the transmitting component T will be more fully described subsequently. At this time it sufiices to say that successive energization of the magnetic coils 85, 86, 81, 88 of the receiving component will result in a stepped advance of the serrated disc 96. The energizing circuit to respective ones of the magnetic coils may be traced from th transmitting component T, more particularly, from lead 68 connected, as described, to supply wir 45; the energized circuit continues at 14, through the disc 65 and through the particular one of the plurality of brushes I5, 16, 11, 18, which happens to engage a conducting area of the disc. As shown in the figure brush '55 engages a conducting area and thus completes the circuit through lead to the corresponding magnetic coil at the receiving component R, from whenc the circuit continues through the common wire I00 and the lead IM to the other supply wire 28. Turning of the transmitting disc 65 by the load motor, as already described, will cause successive ones of the plurality of brushes 15, I6, H, 78 to engage a conducting area of the disc and thus to energize the corresponding magnetic coil of the receiving component, with the result that the serrated disc 96 will turn in the same direction as, and in coordination with, the transmitting disc 65.

Secured to rotate with the serrated disc 96, is an arm 98, which serves two purposes, one of which is to indicate angular position as read on a stationary circular scale 99. Indicator arm 98 is thus effective to indicate on the scale 99 the precise position of the load at the remote point.

The operation of the serrated disc 95 and the magnetic coils 85, 86, 8?, 88 of the receiving component R, and the commutating disc 65, and the stationary brushes ?5, 78, ll, 18, of the transmitting component T shall now be described. The serrated disc 96 has an odd number of teeth 95; the teeth 95 and the interdental spaces I02, are shown, for convenience to be of equal length, although they may be of difierent proportion. In either case, the pitch of the odd number of teeth is such that there will be a difference of a half-tooth, or a quarter of a pitch, between of a circle of the periphery of the disc and 90 of a circle between the center lines of two successive magnetic coils, between magnetic coils 85 and 86, for example. The efiect or this halftooth diiTerence is to cause, upon successive eneration of the magnetic coils, stepped rotation of the serrated disc 96 in one direction or the other, depending upon the directional sequence in which the magnetic coils are energized.

In order to increase the number of stepped advances of the serrated disc 96 and its indicating arm '98 for a given number of magnetic poles, either a single magnetic coil or two successive coils are alternately energized, for example: coil 8-5 will be energized, after which coil 85 together with coil 85 will be energized, and next, coil 85 alone will be energized, etc.

Assuming now that serrated disc 95 is in the position shown in the figure when magnetic coil 05 is energized; in the position there shown, the tooth opposite energized coil 85 is squarely centered relatively to the coil. Following the cnergization of magnetic coil as alone, that coil, to-

gether with the succeeding coil .85 are energized to cause a clockwise turning of the serrated disc 96 through an angular distance equavalent to of a pitch. Following the simultaneous energization of coils 8-5 and b, the latter coil alone is energized, to cause further clockwise advance or the serrated disc of the same pitch.

If instead of energizing the magnetic coils in the clockwise direction, as described, i. e., in the sequence 85, 8586, 06, It-81, 0'5, etc., they were energized in a counter-clockwise direction, i. in the sequence 8?, ill-85, 88, {it-t5, 85, the serrated disc .95 will rotate in the opposite, countor-clockwise direction. This directional sequence of magnetic pole energization depends upon the direction of rotation of the commutating disc 65. This disc 55, is shown in a position corresponding to the illustrated position of the serrated disc -95.

As mentioned above, magnetic coil is assumed to be energized; accordingly, the commutating disc 55 is shown in a position in which stationary brush I5, connected to corresponding magnetic coil 85, energizes a conducting area 5? of the commutating disc 55; whereas all the other brushes, such as it and ll, engage insulating areas, as represented by the insulating inserts 66. Clockwise turning of the commutating disc 65 from the position shown to the next position will cause not only the brush 65, but also the succeeding brush it to engage a conducting area 61 to cause simultaneous energization of mag netic coils 85 and 86.

To enable a single one of the four brushes l5, 15, I1, I8 to engage a conducting area of the commutating disc 55, (to cause energization of a single magnetic coil at the receiver), and, in another position of the commutating disc 55 to enable two successive brushes to simultaneously engage conducting areas, (to cause simultaneous energization of two successive magnetic coils) the proportion of conducting area and insulating area is as is to A3. The reason for this proportion is as follows: Inasmuch as there are four magnetic poles, and since there i provision for simu1taneous energization of two successive magnetic poles, there will be eight stepped advances for each cycle of energization of the magnetic coils. By reason of the simultaneous energization of two successive magnetic poles, and the successive engagement of two successive brushes, anyone of the four brushes 15, 16, ll, 10 of the transmitter will engage a conducting area three out of the eight possible stepping positions; for thi reason, the conducting area is of the pitch comprising both a conducting area and an insulating area, the insulating area being or" the pitch.

In case of power failure, it may be desirable to position the load at the remote point manually. This will cause loss of coordination between the indicating arm 96 and the load 5.

According to the invention provision is made of means for re-coordinating the position of the indicating device with that of the load. For this purpose, indicating arm 05 of the receiving com ponent R is made of suitable conducting material and is engageab-le with a stationary contact I20, which is connected by a lead IE! to supply wire 45. Also, the serrated disc 96 is implemented with a helical spring I40, one end of which is secured to the spindle 91 of the discs; the other end being anchored at Ilitto the machine frame. The spring is normally tensioned to urge arm 98 in a counter-clockwise direction, against the contact I26 which thus acts as a stop. This urgency of spring 9453 to turn serrated disc 35 counter-clockwise is, however, overcome by the clockwise turning of the serrated disc 96 under the force of the magnetic flux of the successively energized magnetic coils 85, 86, 81, 88. As a result of the counter-clockwise urgency of the spring Hi0, serrated disc 55 will immediately turn in that direction to be stopped at the limiting position by the said arm '98 and contact I20-whenever all of the magnetic coils 85, 86, 81, 88 are deenergized. Such a condition will come about, for example, in case of power failure or when the main switch 3I, 46 is opened.

In the said limiting (counter-clockwise) position of the serrated disc as and its arm 98, a circuit will be completed through the coil of the relay I25, which circuit may be traced from the supply wire 45, through lead IZI, contact I20, arm -98, lead I22, to a switch associated with the load at the remote point, which switch comprises a pair of contact blades I23, I21, which are normally engaged to complete the circuit thus far traced, which circuit continues through a lead I24 to one terminal of relay coil I 25, the other terminal being connected, as shown, by a lead 526, to the other supply wire 29. It will thus be seen from the circuit just traced that the relay I25 will be energized only when indicating arm 00 engages contact I20 and when the switch I23, I 27 is closed.

As described above, arm 93 of the receiving component R, engages contact I20 only at such times as the system is deenergized or inoperative, as by opening main switch 45, Si That is to say, in normal operation of the system, arm 98 will be disengaged from contact I20, to break the circuit to relay I25, so that the relay will be normally deenergized. In the normal deenergized condition of relay I25, with its armatures I30, I34 in their unattracted position, as shown, the armature I30 will complete the circuit traced earlier in this specification between the suppl wire 29 and the contact arm I5 of the primary control de vice P, 0.; and the other armature E34 will complete the circuit, also previously traced before, between the outer terminal of field winding 46 of pilot motor 48 and field winding 6 of load motor M.

The operation of the recoordinating means will now be described. We will assume that the main switches 3|, 45 have been opened for load positioning by hand without the use of the remote control system. The i e-coordinating means comes automatically into operation when the switches are again closed to supply current to the system, and will be effective to restore the coordination between the load 5, at the remote point, and the indicating arm 98, at the control point, in the following manner:

Upon the opening of the switch, or upon failure of current supply, the arm 98 will be returned by spring I40 to its counter-clockwise stopping position, abutting contact I20, because, as already explained, all the magnetic coils 85, 86, 81, 88 become deenergized. When the main switch is again closed, or the power again restored, current will be supplied through the circuit completed by engagement of arm 98 and contact I20, to energize the relay I25. It should be noted, at this point, that the restoring of the power supply might energize one of the magnetic coils 85, 86, 81, 88 and thus cause a short clockwise movement of the serrated disc 96 and its arm 98, so that the latter would break engagement with contact I20. To prevent movement of arm 98 away from contact I20 before relay I 25 has been energized, contact I20 should have a relatively long contact area, or may be made resilient, so that arm 98 will remain in engagement with contact I20, despite the said short clockwise movement of the arm.

Energization of relay I25, by attracting its armature I30 and causing it to break engagement with contact I32, will break the circuit already traced between contact arm I of the primary control P. C. and the supply wire 29. This will result in the deenergization of both relays 26, 21, causing their respective armatures 36, 31 to assume the position shown in the figure, in which position they are disengaged from their respective contacts 38, 39, thus disconnecting the field windings of both motors from the current supply. Whereas the armature I30 is efiective, as just described, to disconnect the field windings of both motors from the current supply (through the primary control P, C.) the other armature I34 of relay I25, by breaking engagement with contact I36 and making engagement with contact I38, completes a direct supply circuit to field winding 6 of the load motor M, which circuit may be traced from supply wire 29, through lead I26, contact I38, armature I34, lead 40' field winding 6, lead 2 armature 2, and lead 45' to the other supply wire 45.

Energization of field winding 6 and pilot motor M, causes rotation of pilot motor M in a direction to result in a counter-clockwise turning of the load 5. The latter is provided with a projection 55, which is effective to open the aforementioned switch I23I2I. The latter switch is associated with one of the pair of limit switches 24-56 and 255'I, more particularly, With the former limit switch. As clearly shown in the figure, projection 55, when load member 5 reaches its extreme counter-clockwise position, is effective to open the counter-clockwise limit switch 24-56. For this reason, blade 56 of the switch 2456 is made suiiiciently long to project in the path of the load projection 55. Mechanical stops 57, I27 are provided to limit movements of the respective switch elements.

The limit switches are interposed in the circuits, previously traced between the stationary brushes 20, 2| of the primary control device P, C. and their associated relays 26, 21; so that when one or the other of the limit switches is opened by the load projection 55, the circuit to the associated relay 26, 27 is broken to stop motor rota- 8 tion. Conveniently, the extended blade 56 of the counter-clockwise limit switch 24-56, is provided with a lug 56 engageable with one of the blades, I21, of the switch I23I2'I.

The opening of switch I23I2I, when load member 5 reaches its extreme counter-clockwise position, by breaking the circuit through relay I25, will deenergize the latter, causing its armatures I30 and I34 to assume their'normal positions, as shown in the figure. One of the effects of deenergization of relay I25 is to break the circuit, at armature I34, to field winding 6 of load motor M, and to stop further counter-clockwise rotation of load member 5. A second efiect of the deenergization of relay I 25 is to restore, at armature I30, the power supply circuits to the primary control device P 0. Hence, the system, restored to its condition for normal operation, will be fully coordinated as between the indicating arm 98 and the load 5, since both the projection 55 of the load member 5 will be at its extreme counter-clockwise position, at the limit switch 2456, and the indicator arm 98 will be at its counter-clockwise position, engaging contact I20.

We claim:

1. A control apparatus comprising control means controlling a load motor for placing a load in any desired position; stop means for stopping the load motor in a predetermined limit position independently of the control means; a load position indicator having a movable member; electrical means controlling the position of the movable indicator member for placing the said movable member in a position corresponding to the load position; a switch means constructed and positioned to be operated by the movable member when said member reaches a position corresponding to said predetermined limit load position; and a circuit means for energizing the load motor for movement of the load into the aforesaid limit position in response to an operation of the switch means.

2. A control apparatus comprising an electric motor for moving a load; control means controlling the load motor for placing the load in any desired position; a load position indicator having a movable member; a transmitter controlled by the load motor; electrical means controlling the movable indicator member position by the transmitter for placing the said movable member in a position corresponding to the load position; a switch means constucted and positioned to be operated by the movable member reaching a position corresponding to said predetermined limit load position; a circuit means for energizing the load motor for movement of the load toward the aforesaid position in response to an operation of the switch means; and second switch means for deenergizin the load motor in response to the load reaching the aforesaid limit position.

3. A control apparatus comprising an electric motor for moving a load; control means controlling the load motor for placing the load in any desired position; stop means for stopping the load motor in predetermined extreme positions of the load independently of the control means; a load position indicator having a movable member; a transmitter controlled by the load motor; electrical means controlling the movable indicator member position by the transmitter for placing the said movable member in a position corresponding to the load position; a switch means constructed and positioned to be operated by the movable member reaching a position corresponding to one of the said extreme load positions; and a circuit means for energizing the load motor for movement of the load into the aforesaid extreme position in response to an operation of the switch means, said movable indicator member being constructed and positioned to move into said switch means operating position when the said electrical means is rendered inoperative.

4. A control apparatus comprising an electric motor for moving a load; control means electrically controlling the load motor for placing the load in any desired position; stop means for stopping the load motor in predetermined extreme positions of the load independently of the control means; a load position indicator having a movable member; a transmitter controlled by the load motor; electrical means controlling the movable indicator member position by the transmitter for placing the said movable member in a position corresponding to the load position; a switch means constructed and positioned by the movable member reaching a position corresponding to one of the said extreme load positions; a circuit means for energizing the load motor for movement of the load into the aforesaid extreme position in response to an operation of the switch means; and a yieldable means urging said indicator member towards said switch means operating position, said yieldable means being constructed to be effective for placing the member in the said position when the electrical means is rendered inoperative.

5. A control apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein said yieldable means comprises a spring member, the said switch means including a mechanical stop means for arresting the movable indicator member in the switch means operating position thereof.

6. A control apparatus comprising control means controlling a load motor for placing a load in any desired position; a load position indicator having a movable member; electrical means controlling the movable indicator member position for placing the said movable member in a position corresponding to the load position; a switch means constructed and positioned to be operated by the movable member when said member reaches a position corresponding to a predetermined load position; relay means connected to be operated in response to an operation of the switch means; circuit means controlled by the relay means for energizing the load motor for moving the load toward the predetermined position; and second switch means at said aforesaid position for stopping the motor, when the load reaches said predetermined position.

7. A control apparatus comprising control means controlling a load motor for placing a load in any desired position; a load position indicator having a movable member; electrical means controlling the movable indicator member position for placing the said movable member in a position corresponding to the load position; a switch means constructed and positioned to be operated by the movable member when said member reaches a position corresponding to a predetermined load position; relay means connected to be operated in response to an operation of the switch means; circuit means controlled by the relay means for energizing the load motor for moving the load toward the predetermined position and for rendering the control means inoperative for control of the load motor; and second switch means at said aforesaid position for stopping the motor, when the load reaches said predetermined position.

8. A remote control apparatus comprising a pair of independently movable control elements at a control point, one element comprising a pair of electrically conducting members separated by a neutral point, the other element comprising a contact arm engaging the conducting members, one element being arranged to be manually moved; means to move the other element for causing the contact arm to be aligned with the neutral point; a reversible motor at a remote point for moving a load; electrical means to control direction of the motor rotation by the position of the contact arm at one or the other side of the neutral point and for stopping the motor in response to the contact arm being aligned with the neutral point; limit contacts at the remote point connected with the electrical means; means operated by the motor to engage the limit contacts when said motor operated means reaches one of the limit positions thereby disconnecting the electrical means for stopping the motor; an indicator at the control point comprising a movable member; a transmitter at the remote point controlled by the load motor position and electrically connected to the indicator for causing the movable indicator member to assume a position corresponding to the position of the motor operated means, a switch means constructed and positioned to be operated by the movable indicator member when said member reaches a position corresponding to the aforesaid limit position of the motor operated means; and means to energize the motor when the switch means are operated by the movable indicator member, for causing the motor to move the load into the corresponding limit position.

MICHEL N. YARDENY. ROBERT BERNAS. CHARLES PRINDLE. 

